Everyone’s favorite aardvark made headlines this week when Carol Greenwald, producer of Arthur, said the beloved show produced at GBH would not air new episodes after the conclusion of its 25th season in 2022. Greenwald joined host Patrick Flanary on GBH’s Morning Edition today to reassure fans that Arthur isn’t going anywhere — in fact, he will be continue sharing lessons with kids on all sorts of new platforms.

“We know kids are consuming media in many different ways now, and we want to be where kids are,” Greenwald said.

With 250 episodes and seven one-hour specials, Arthur is the longest-running animated children’s show in television history. Arthur will continue to be broadcast on PBS Kids "for years to come," and Greenwald says the show’s team will explore new ways to bring Arthur and his friends to platforms like podcasts, YouTube and the PBS Kids video app.

Last year, Arthur produced a popular digital short about the importance of handwashing, an example of the type of content the team hopes to continue to produce. Digital shorts have a quicker timeline for production, making them a more timely way to bring valuable lessons to kids.

“I think it really hit, though, during the pandemic where we saw that there was a need for this quick turnaround, specific kind of material that can help families,” Greenwald said. “The first one we did was about hand washing. We did one about wearing a mask. We also did one after the George Floyd murder and about how to talk about racism with your family. So, we tried to really be responsive to what was going on.”

Flanary noted how Arthur has been a “progressive” show for 25 years, known for addressing topics like cancer, bullying and marriage equality, notably through the episode featuring Mr. Ratburn marrying his longtime boyfriend.

“We want to give parents and kids tools that can help them address and deal with these issues,” Greewald said. “And I think because we've been around for 25 seasons, we're able to do that in a way that other series couldn't.”

We know kids are consuming media in many different ways now, and we want to be where kids are.
-Carol Greenwald, Arthur's Producer

There will be plenty of new Arthur content coming this summer. On August 20th, a digital short about voting will premiere, in which Arthur’s elementary school is voting on a new mascot, and Francine, Buster and Binkie learn about the importance of respectful debate and relying on facts.

“We're trying to address topics that kids and families need that are helpful to families in these difficult times,” Greenwald said about the digital shorts.

On Labor Day, a digital short about back to school will premiere — and Arthur will finally be going to fourth grade.

“Arthur’s still going to be the same as he ever was. But like all kids starting a new school year, he's going to be encountering some new kids. He's going to be making some new friends,” Greenwald said, noting that the characters will be learning to handle change — Buster and Arthur will not be in the same class, and D.W. is going to kindergarten.

“We know this year is going to be an especially challenging year for kids going back to school,” she said. “So we're glad that we're in position to offer this fun special that also kind of looks at these underlying challenges of change, making new friends and adjusting to new situations.”

LISTEN: Carol Greenwald on the future of Arthur